Havre de Grace

Havre de Grace is a city in Harford County, Maryland. The town was incorporated in 1785, and it was named after the French port of Le Havre (originally named "Le Havre-de-Grace") after the Marquis de Lafayette commented on the area's resemblance to the French city. During the first US Congress in 1789, Havre de Grace missed by only one vote being named the capital of the fledgling United States. On 3 May 1813, during the War of 1812, the British Royal Navy burned and plundered the town. It later became a primary town on the Underground Railroad, leading to the development of a large African-American community, and it also became known for duck hunting. In 1878, the town became a city. During the 1980s, the city underwent extensive redevelopment, and it expanded by annexing land. In 2016, Havre de Grace had a population of 13,527 people.